A Herts expert in disability in sport reflects on the Paris Paralympics - a year on
Dr Brown says the event helped highlight progress, but shone a spotlight on missed opportunities to make the event more inclusive
One year has passed since the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, a landmark event remembered for its atmosphere, challenges, and lasting debates on accessibility and inclusion.
Dr Chris Brown, Senior Lecturer in Sport Development at the University of Hertfordshire and founder of the Disability Sport Info podcast, has spent much of the past year discussing the Games with athletes, broadcasters, and academics.
Looking back, he identifies both standout successes and striking shortcomings.
The media question
Dr Brown recalled a moment raised by one of his podcast guests, Leo, a presenter on France 24.
During a 100m race, just before it started, France 2 (national broadcasters transmitting live coverage of the event) went to adverts.
Dr Brown said pointed at a stark difference to the Olympics, during which such a decision likely would not be made.
For him, this highlighted both progress and persistent gaps: “there’s been quite a lot of increase in media coverage across the board though globally, however, there’s still definitely strives to take place in terms of improving the quality of the media coverage.”
Atmosphere and momentum
If broadcasting sometimes fell short, the live atmosphere did not.
“It’s completely clear to me from speaking to my guests that the in-game atmosphere, the venue atmosphere is really, really strong,” Dr Brown said. “It’s been a very important Games for the Paralympic movement in terms of bringing that momentum.”
He also placed Paris in a wider historical context: “2016, there was some doubt whether the Paralympics would actually go ahead due to financial difficulties. Obviously, for Tokyo 2020, COVID influenced that. So I think Paris is a really key point in the Paralympic movement.”
Accessibility: progress and limits
Accessibility in Paris was a major topic both during and after the Games.
While infrastructure improvements were made, Dr Brown acknowledged the limitations of retrofitting an old metro system: “the metro system is very old. When it was built, it didn’t have the current acceptable standards for being inclusive and accessible. So it’s starting from a lower base maybe compared to some other more modern cities.”
He noted that while the Paralympics can highlight these issues, the impact may be temporary. “We have this lovely two week event, but ultimately, can we actually still apply that pressure to make a city more accessible? I think the jury’s out on that one.”
London 2012 and Paris 2024: linked legacies
Dr Brown was clear that London 2012 remains a benchmark.
“London 2012 was really important for showing what can be done if you have the right attitude and approach to Paralympic sport. Paris has kind of taken that mantle up and hopefully LA will carry on to propel the momentum forward.”
He also stressed the relationship between Olympic and Paralympic success: “when you have a very strong home Games in the Olympics, that excitement and fervour kind of carries over into the Paralympics.”
Separate or integrated Games?
The debate over whether the Paralympics should be merged with, or fully separated from, the Olympics continues.
Dr Brown remains cautious about change: “I think the Paralympics are so big at this stage that they need their own platform and not get completely subsumed by the Olympics. The Paralympics has its own special kind of social marketing that it can do and brand image that differentiates it.”
Legacy - one year on
When asked about lasting impact, Dr Brown was careful to emphasise time: “time is the judge and the barometer of it. I think there’ll be a Paralympic team performance legacy. I think attitudes and opportunities maybe towards people in terms of sport will increase, but I don’t think that really necessarily means a sustainable long-term increase.”
Still, he recognised real steps forward. “There is already going to be some changes making Paris more accessible. Yes, there’s still lots to do, of course, but it’s better than what it used to be.”
For many who attended, the Games also marked a rare shared civic moment.
One year later, those moments remain vivid, even as the longer-term legacies are still being written.